Lidl's Heartwarming 'Spring Moments' Campaign Reminds Us of Our Favourite Parts of the Season

Lidl has tasked TBWA\London, the brand’s rostered agency since 2013, with creating a tightly integrated campaign that uses data insights to capitalise on Spring’s biggest retail moments. 

Breaking on Wednesday 14 March 2018, the resulting campaign is Lidl Spring Spotters: a heartwarmingly fun documentary-themed miniseries where studio-based presenters examine the fascinating behaviours of the human family. 

So, after a long Winter, we see “adults forming social groups again”(ie: partying); egg hatching (with chocolate Easter eggs), nest building (read: clumsy attempts at DIY) and feeding (aka: roast dinner cooking); and it’s all revealed through the genre’s tried and tested Nest cams, Lamb cams and Drone cams. 

Running across TV, digital, press, social, DOOH and radio, the campaign challenges the retail convention of focusing solely on Easter by instead covering the entire Spring season. Lidl Spring Spotters is consequently built around a content calendar that TBWA\London, in close collaboration with social agency 360i and media agency Starcom, developed using data insights. A combination of robust data and social listening allows the campaign to connect on the right channels at the right time in Spring.

The strategy entailed uncovering the essence of spring – a time of positive change that sparks a sense of discovery; and identifying the seasonal moments that most matter to Lidl’s audience. The campaign, strategy and creative development, was built on data signals about consumer behaviours and attitudes over the Spring season.

In addition to broadcast media, the integrated campaign consists of a multitude of moments and touchpoints, from targeted online videos to weather reactive DOOH and interactive social media formats. The Lidl Spring Spotters platform ensures a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints. 

Lidl Spring Spotters is the first major TBWA\London-created campaign to be developed under the agency’s new management team: Andy Jex (CCO), Anna Vogt (CSO) and Sara Tate (CEO). Content was directed by Ben Tonge, who was selected for his ability to serve up great-looking food with a tasty side of comedy. 

Tina Hansom, Lidl’s Senior Consultant Campaign Management, commented: “This year we wanted to remain relevant to our customers throughout the whole of the spring season including Easter. We have for the last 2 years focused our communications in the quality and Britishness of our fresh products. We continue to do this but in a fun, and more light-hearted way, that fits perfectly into our tone of voice as a current and active Grocery Retailer. I am really excited by this campaign and think it will give us the cut through we need during a very busy trading period.”

Andy Jex, TBWA\London’s Chief Creative Officer, added: “Our first work for Lidl since we joined TBWA. That makes it official - we’re spring fledglings! And we couldn’t be prouder.”